2 year old and newborn - pram dilemma - advice please!

[mindthegap79]

I may be jumping the gun as I'm very early on in my pregnancy. However I'm excited and just starting to plan ahead a bit... When dc2 is born, dd will be just turning 2. She's currently 15.5 months and is quickly a pretty confident walker. She likes to walk alongside the buggy a lot of the time and obviously we encourage this, although she's not very speedy and her little legs get tired - so we still need the buggy much of the time.

We currently have a MacLaren Techno XT, and also the Silver Cross Wayfarer travel system which we bought for when she was newborn. Both are compatible with buggy boards and the BuggyPod.

My question is, will a just turned 2 year old want to/need to go in a buggy? Should we plan to sell the Silver Cross and buy something like the Baby Jogger double? Or will dd be ok on a buggy board by then?

Sorry, I know I should really wait a while, but I am very excited and would be interested to hear of others' experiences. Thanks!

Ooh, glad that was helpful and thank you for your kind reference to my username - I love Queenie. I guess your DD is lucky not to be called Bernard :)

We're thinking of calling the next one either Donald, Eric or Basil, as long as it's a girl!!

I recommend checking out bestbuggy for reviews of doubles (and singles). I had a 16 month gap between DC 3 and 4 and went through loads of doubles.
DS2 was and is a brilliant walker however he was also a brilliant tantrummer and it was always handy to have a safe place to put him.
I had a few inline doubles but found they were very awkward to put a newborn I to, DS3 had a few bumped heads
The out n about nipper is lovely to push. I got rid of mine as it only had one large hood but the new version has separate hoods. I use the single with my 3 year old and love it.
Also echoing what ConcreteElephant said in that a sling can sometime be a bit of a barrier between you and a toddler.

Good tip about the older Phil&Teds being heavier northerngoldilocks - I've not used one but always thought they looked cool and practical. I think dh is going to spend a fair few Saturdays being dragged around pram shops in the coming months! He's already nervous, having felt the effects of a few hormonal outbursts in the last few days. Poor man

Dd is already starting to push boundaries just a bit - she likes to choose the direction we walk in and has had a couple of back arching tantrums, which subside when she's strapped in. I definitely appreciate the safety of being able to put her in the buggy when we're in very busy places, or she feels we should actually be walking in the opposite direction, or round in circles, or anywhere other than where we're going

We have a P & T Navigator and it's fab. Our's take a real beating - walked for miles a day over all sorts of terrains and in some crazy weather conditions - and it's held up really well over 2 years. I can't comment on using it with a newborn though as our youngest was 5 months when we got it.

Unless you have particular constraints like no storage space (like we did in the first 5 months of having 2 children) then I would recommend a double (preferably which converts to a single) to anyone who walks a lot. As others have mentioned, however good a walker your toddler is, it's really handy to have the option for naps, tantrums and situations where you need to keep them contained. Not to mention bad weather, where it's far nicer to be snuggled under a raincover or in a buggy snuggle than shivering on a buggy board.

There's 2y 3m between mine. I already had a SC freeway which allowed me to put a seat on it for Ds1 which was useful for the first 6 months until Ds2 was ready to sit. At 4 and 2, I'm still using my original pram and buggy and a carrier/ wrap/ sling for the second when necessary. It's been more versatile than having a double, and I've never had serious regrets about not getting a double, but I have always needed a method of back-up for when he's tired, sleepy or too slow.

I picked up an immaculate second hand p&t Sport on ebay for about £90. The toddler generally prefers to walk or scoot, but the extra seat is useful for when we're in a hurry (with iscoot hooks to carry the scooter), or when I have to pick up another child from preschool at the last minute - or even just for lugging the eldest's school stuff! Really pleased with it.

I have bought a secondhand oyster max for when we need to have a double - DD is 2.4 and an excellent walker but can be strong willed and I wouldn't like to be running after her with baby in a pushchair or to be having to carry her. I also have a single pushchair for when newborn can go in a sling.

I love my Stroll Air Duo, really light and maneuverable but can have each child parent or forward facing independently. It folds with the seats on too. I'm not going to lie, it's big but gets through most places and the basket is huuuuge.

My DCs age gap is 17 months and it was perfect for the early days but I thought about getting something slimmer now DS is 10m and DD walks alot. So I recently bought an inline and it was a disaster as DD chucked all my shopping out and ate my biscuits

We have a 23 month age gap between DS1 and DS2. Managed without a double buggy - luckily as my poor spatial awareness means I constantly bump the single buggy into things... In the early months I put the baby in the Moby wrap or Bush Baby carrier and the toddler in the pram. Now toddler is happy on the buggy board or walking. However DS1 gave up naps during the day just before DS2 was born - if you need both to nap when out and about a double buggy might be handy. I'm quite small so, although DS2 will fall asleep in carrier, I find carrying him for extended periods tiring and he'll wake up as soon as I sit down

I like the sound of this P&T Navigator - can it be used as a double from birth with a carrycot and seat set up?

Yes, the main seat lies flat with a carry cot insert and the second seat perches on top. When the baby is older the main seat goes upright with the second seat underneath.

My only real gripe with the Navigator is that the hood that comes with the second seat is crap; really shallow and flimsy. We remedied that by buying a second "main seat" hood and fitting that on instead.

The P & T website is quite useful with lots of demonstration videos and specs.

I don't work for them, I promise!

I would recommend the buggy pod. I had one for my eldest DC similar age gap to what you will have. It wasn't at all in the way when folded and was really easy to open when DD got tired. It always got lots of comments from passers by!

DS1 was 15 months when DS2 was born. I bought a Jusonne lightweight tandem stroller which was fine for nipping about but only used it for 6 months until I could put DS2 in a stroller with a buggy board for DS1. never looked back. When DS2 was about 12 months they used to swap sometimes, he loved it.

in 5 weeks (ish) we'll have 3 under 3 for a couple of months. We already have a phil and teds for the 1 and 2 year old to share (11 month age gap) Both of mine fall asleep within 10 minutes of being in the buggy so I'm considering a sling for a while until the older one is used to walking more. the younger one will be 23m and I know for a fact I couldn't let him walk and baby have his seat I'd end up carrying him!

I had this seat attached to my pram. It was very useful and very sweet.

We have a gap of 2.7. We have a maclaren quest with a buggy board but i only occasionally use it because you have to push it in a funny position once the older child is on the board. I also hate slings. You will be knackered so I strongly suggest getting a double. We have a phil and TEDs navigator and its really good and will also work as a single. Good resale value too.

I'm about to have my second child in 2 weeks and dc1 is 2.4.

We bought a second hand Phil and teds sport yesterday.

There's no way I'll be able to cope without a double, we did buy a buggy board (we have a baby jogge city mini at the moment) but my ds is short so it's not a great solution really until he grows taller!.

He also still naps and, although a good walker, likes to run off and go in his own direction. Plus he gets tired easily and there are a lot of hills where we are, there's no way he'll be able to cope on a big day out with no buggy!

We might find we don't need it for long but we're in London and days out tend to be a lot of walking/getting buses and trains so fingers crossed it will work out ok!

We have a slightly bigger age gap (2:5) and we have not used a double buggy though I have at times thought perhaps I should have got one, but having tried one they are so huge and unmanoueverable. We have a Maclaren Techno XT also and used it for DS from about 6-7 weeks.

We started out with DD in a sling (and you will find this pretty much invaluable with two to have somewhere to put the baby when you need your hands for the big one - even just round the house. If you didn't get on with one because it was hard to tie - e.g. if you used a huge woven wrap or a Moby - then try a buckled carrier, if you get a small one - we had a Beco Gemini - you won't need an infant insert but it won't do you for as long. Or e.g. an Ergo with an infant insert. If it was comfort e.g. because you were using a Baby Bjorn, then try either a stretchy wrap e.g. Moby, or a more comfy buckled one e.g. Ergo, Beco). DS was still in buggy then.

Then we moved on to DS walking (and a pair of reins or backpack with reins is essential) and got a buggy board. He did a LOT of sit down strikes unfortunately but not all children do that and a lot of positive praise for walking nicely helped.

I still quite often carry DD (now 1) in the sling but rarely when I'm pushing the buggy as it's just such hard work - DD is now 8kg and he's 16kg. It seems less hard work to push them both with the buggy board somehow.

He now (aged nearly 3 1/2) walks e.g. half the 15 minute walk to the CM and the other half on the buggy board, but if we're both going out, it's a longer walk, DS goes in the buggy with DH pushing and I carry DD in the sling.

Gap of 2.2 here. Dc2 is now 6 mo. We've got a second hand Phil and teds but ds has not liked it so far. Mostly just screamed blue murder when I've put him in it and he's generally quite a calm baby. Might try again now he can sit up. Much prefer the sling and maclaran combo. I had a stretchy wrap to begin with and now I have an ergo baby which is fab. Maclaran quest lies flat so sometimes dd will walk and ds goes in that which he doesn't seem to mind. When dd gets tired I pop ds in the sling and dd gets in the maclaran.

We used a sling for DS, and dd (21 months) either walked, went in a carrier on one of our backs or in a McLaren techno, the latter usually when with my parents.

Posted too soon. We never had a double or a buggy board, and Ds didn't go in a pushchair till he was well past 2 when out with my parents (dd didn't go in one until her brother was born either) so in some cases they're no essential.

I loved my Phil and Ted, I had a 25 month old and a new born for DC1 and DC2 (then a 23 month of and a new born for DC2 an DC3) so it was well used for a long time.

I liked it as it was easy to push one handed if the older child wanted to walk so you could push and hold their hands, but equally it was still really easy to push should the older child want to ride.

When DC1/2 started school, the lower seat was still really useful for carrying all their junk each day. It was a sad day when DC3 got too old for a pram and suddenly I had to carry everything and try and hold 3 hands crossing roads.

Thanks again everyone for all your experiences and suggestions. I think I'm going to keep my eye out for a newish second hand P&T Navigator - surely a decent one will come up before Feb!

Sling wise, I had a Caboo but really couldn't get on with it - I was probably doing it wrong but dd always seemed so slumped. I sold it and bought an older Baby Bjorn which we've used a lot, albeit mostly around the house. It's a godsend when you need your hands free! I prefer a buggy though when we're out and about, if only so I've got somewhere to store the kitchen sink, rice cakes, endless boxes of raisins etc. I dread the day when I no longer need a buggy!